Often when people talk about what the successful people do that the poor don’t, it’s about how they invest money, surround themselves with successful people and things like that. These are usually the surface symptoms of success. What are those subtle things successful people do that really separate them from the majority?
So today, we bring you the 15 most underrated things successful people do, that poor people don’t do. Numbers 3 and 8 are highly underrated but game-changers.
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Table of Contents
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Let’s begin…
1. Successful people guard their minds with diligence
Just like you are what you eat; what goes into your mind shapes the person you become. That is why most successful people are great readers and travelers. They are constantly feeding their minds with valuable knowledge and experiences. You can’t spend most of your day feeding on junk news and entertainment, and expect to develop the mindset to become successful.
Read also: 5 Africans Who Beat the Odds to Become Successful Entrepreneurs
2. Successful people develop tough skin
It’s a crazy crowd out there. People are going to say things that will break your heart. Many curve balls will be thrown at you. Successful people develop the inner bulletproof to keep moving forward regardless of criticism. You’ve got to develop a thick skin if you want to achieve success.
3. Successful people defer gratification
This one is huge. Most people spend their future today. How did we end up being comfortable living in bad debt? Yes, there is good debt and there is bad debt. If you borrow money to invest in a business, that could translate into good debt. But borrowing money to finance a luxury lifestyle is terrible debt. Successful people are willing to defer pleasure for when they can afford it. Poor people want to fulfil all pleasures today.
4. Successful people are angry at something
Nothing changes until you are fed up of something and demand change. If you understudy most people who have achieved great things in life, their success is often compelled more by anger for something than by love. Yes, they love what they do. But behind that love is hatred for what they don’t want. It could be about seeing people they love suffer; it could be at mediocrity, poverty, or the status quo. Whatever it is, they just want something to change.
5. Successful People channel their anger positively
Two people who were abused in their childhood may end up on opposite paths in life; one an advocate for the vulnerable, the other a life of crime. Successful people don’t just get angry at what they don’t like, they strive to change it. While some people complain about inequality of wealth, people who become successful channel their anger for poverty towards positive energy to achieve a meaningful life.
6. Successful people are obsessively curious
If you read that 80 people in the world today control approximately the same amount of wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest people in the world today, what comes to your mind? Most people feel bitter towards the rich people; blaming them for their predicament. Instead, successful people get curious to learn even if it’s 10 per cent of what these people know that they don’t know. When poor people say, “I can’t”, successful say, “How can I?”
7. Successful people are honest with themselves
Bill Gates said if he wanted to get the job done, he would hire a lazy person because he would figure out how to get the job done faster and simpler. Contrary to what most people think, successful people admit that they do not know it all; and that their ability is limited. They are self-aware of their strength and weaknesses and are honest about it. That way they are able to focus on their strength and outsource their weaknesses.
8. Successful people are quick to forgive themselves
Let’s face it; every one of us makes mistakes. We all have something we did that we are not very proud of. Your ability to forgive yourself when you don’t meet your expectations will encourage you to try again. Successful people are quick to talk about how failure is the key to success. “You’ve got to fail your way forward”, they’ll say. But most people cannot handle failing again and again. It takes the ability to forgive one’s self for coming short and try again to eventually achieve success.
Read also: Top 10 Most Successful Entrepreneurs in the World you Should Learn From
9. Successful people make an effort to be rational
If you realize you are the only one that has a high in-demand brand of flower in your garden, will you increase the price to make more profit? Of course, you will take advantage of the opportunity to make more profit. But if your neighbour did the same thing, you’ll probably think he is a greedy bastard for reaping you off. The point is that we are all irrational beings. Most of our decisions are governed by our emotions, though most of us will not admit it. It takes deliberate and conscious effort to see things from different perspectives and make objective judgments. This is a quality most successful people make the effort to develop.
10. Successful people work with active faith
At the edge of a metaphoric cliff, successful people jump off the cliff and figure out how to build wings on their way down. Unsuccessful people just wait for a falcon to come lift them to safety. Not that we advocate you jump off some cliff to exercise your faith; you know that’s just a metaphor. The point is that successful people take initiative. They don’t wait to figure out the whole picture before starting. They start with what’s available to them and learn as they go.
11. Successful People HATE to be dependent
How comfortable are you with knowing that your life is dependent on someone else? Successful people make the effort to earn what they get and don’t rely on some free handouts.
12. Successful people value their time above all else
You may not have a problem spending half of your day scrolling down your social media timelines, arguing about your favourite celebrity and watching that 6-hour season film. If this is you, it simply says a lot about how you value your time. Successful people value their time and make the effort to decide who and what gets their attention.
13. Successful people believe all money made is not equal
Have you ever wondered why most lottery winners end up broke? And why does history continue to repeat itself? You see, most people will say, “Well, I’ll be wiser if I win”. But the truth is that $1 million made from the lottery is not the same as $1 million earned from creative and smart work. The latter comes with experience, personal growth and confidence. While the lottery winner needs to buy all of these with the money they win.
14. Successful people promote themselves and their value
Growing up, we were told to be modest. Just keep your head down and work hard. Your work will speak for you. The only problem with that advice is that no one is looking. At this age, you have to put your work out there and talk about what you offer. This is not about the narcissism on social media today. But it’s about promoting the substance you offer.
Read also: 25 Things Rich & Successful People Do That You (Likely) Don’t Do
15. Successful people want money for value
Most people want money for nothing. What most people don’t know is that money is an illusion. The real wealth is in the mind. When people make money without earning it, they employ the money to seek external validation. People who make money from adding value develop internal validation that transcends what they can get outside. In the end, it is the courage to follow your supreme dream.
If you want to be successful, you must take full responsibility for your life. Accept that, if it’s going to be, it’s up to you. Most of the things mentioned in this video are mostly about mindset and habits. Some people indeed have access to more opportunities than others, but you can always start with the little opportunities within your reach and grow from there. Success begets success.
Most people will watch this video, nod and move on with their eventless life. Don’t be like most people. Make the decision to develop the mindset of successful people and watch your life unfold.
What’s one lesson you are taking away from this video? Tell us in the comment section below. If you found this video helpful, thumbs up and share with someone.
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